The exact cause of breast cancer is not known. Female hormones and increasing age play a part. The chances that you will develop breast cancer increase as you age. In the United States, about 1 in every 8 women who live to be 80 will have been diagnosed with breast cancer at some point in her life.5 Family history also plays a role in the development of breast cancer. You are more likely to have breast cancer if your mother, father, or sister has breast cancer.

Patients with advanced lung cancer who receive chemotherapy generally have an improved quality of life and tend to live longer than those who do not undergo drug therapy. Clinical studies have shown that patients on drug therapies for late stage lung cancer experience fewer days in the hospital and have fewer and less severe symptoms from their disease.

Minimal amounts of cancer cells can still be present after the removal of the cancer through surgery. Even when tests show clear margins and the absence of disease, tiny amounts of cancer cells may still be present in the body. Unfortunately this is a very common problem with lung cancer. Up to half of patients with Stage I or II non-small cell lung cancer still have cancer after surgery.

Side effects of chemotherapy include nausea, vomiting, hair loss, diarrhea, mouth sores, fatigue, fever, chills, sleep disorders. These can usually be controlled with medication and occur rarely except hair loss. If these side-effects do occur, the treating oncologist must be contacted immediately. Certain drugs may cause infertility. Discuss this with your oncologist before treatment starts.

This is a question to ask your doctor. Even though treatment regimens have similarities, they are often tailored to the individual patient. Therefore, it is important you speak frankly with your doctor. Undergoing chemotherapy can be a scary experience, especially if you have heard that another treatment is better. However, your doctor made her recommendation based on your specific cancer and your general health and she has your best interest in mind.

Chemotherapy refers to the use of drugs to treat cancer. There are many medications that are used in different cancers. These drugs work in a variety of ways to kill cancer cells.

Less than 20% of dogs undergoing chemotherapy experience clinically relevant adverse effects (most commonly vomiting, diarrhea, or loss of appetite). These adverse effects can typically be managed with medications, drug dose reduction, or changing to a different chemotherapeutic agent.

Chemotherapy is the treatment of cancer with drugs that can destroy cancer cells. These drugs are often called "anticancer" drugs.

Chemotherapy is usually given on an outpatient basis. The medication is administered through a vein in your arm. A specially trained nurse remains with you at all times while your chemotherapy is infusing. You may receive other medications before and during your chemotherapy which are designed to minimize and relieve side effects. There are several chemotherapy medications that work to kill lung cancer and often a combination of two of these medications is prescribed.

Enzymes have been safely used for years during chemotherapy & radiation. Cancer cells protect themselves with a FIBRIN scar tissue coating. Cancerous tumors form as cancer cells reproduce & merge together. Tumors are strengthened by additional FIBRIN, coating the collection of cancerous cells forming an armor-like protection against medical treatments & your body’s natural defenses.

Current risk estimates suggest that 1 out of 3 Americans will develop some type of cancer in their lifetime. This means that 2 out of 3 Americans will not develop cancer.

Disclaimer: this FAQ is provided for educational purposes only. It cannot be used for diagnosing or treating a disease. If you have or suspect you may have cancer, you should consult your doctor. The external links in this FAQ are provided for the convenience of alt.support.cancer newsgroup visitors. The alt.support.

Because some drugs work better together than alone, often two or more drugs are given at the same time. This is called combination chemotherapy.